Hard disk enclosure blade

ABSTRACT

A hard disk enclosure blade includes an enclosure insertable into a rack, a number of slots, a lever, and a flap. Each slot can receive a tray holding hard disk drives. The lever allows the enclosure to be pushed into and pulled from the rack. The lever has an open position in which the enclosure is removable from the rack, and a closed position in which the enclosure is not removable. The flap has a first flap position in which the flap is disposed across the slots and in which the lever is movable from its closed to its open position, and a second flap position in which the lever is not movable from the closed to the open position. Where the slots are all empty, the flap reverts to the first flap position. Insertion of a tray into a slot forces the flap to the second flap position.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present patent application is a continuation-in-part of thepreviously filed patent application entitled “Hard disk enclosureblade,” filed on Mar. 20, 2006, and assigned Ser. No. 11/385,949, whichis hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a hard disk enclosure blade,and more particularly to such a blade that is not removable from a rackunless it is empty of hard disk drives.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In data center and other environments, a large number of computingperipherals are usually organized in such a way as to efficiently usethe physical space available for them. For instance, many suchperipherals are rack-mounted. Rack-mounted peripherals have a standardwidth that enables them to be inserted into industry-standard racks.Racks may themselves be seven feet or more in height, allowing a largenumber of rack-mounted peripherals to be inserted into a single rack.

A hard disk enclosure blade is a rack-mounted peripheral that accepts anumber of trays of hard disk drives. Therefore, in a relatively smallspace, a large number of hard disk drives can be stored. For instance,one type of hard disk enclosure blade accepts eight trays. Each tray canhold three hard disk drives, such that the hard disk enclosure itselfcan store a total of twenty-four hard disk drives.

Such a hard disk enclosure blade that is fully populated withtwenty-four hard disk drives can be relatively heavy, however. Forinstance, a fully populated hard disk enclosure blade can weigh morethan twenty kilograms, or more than forty-four pounds. Administratorswho are responsible for managing such rack-mounted peripherals may notrealize that such hard disk enclosure blades are so heavy. Therefore,they may try to remove a fully populated hard disk enclosure blade froma rack, not realizing the full weight of the fully populated blade.

As a result, there is a real potential for the blade accidentallydropping to the floor. While dropping any type of rack-mountedperipheral can potentially cause damage to the peripheral, the chancefor damage is heightened with hard disk enclosure blades, because harddisk drives are sensitive to extreme force impacts, which can occur ontheir being dropped and hitting the floor. For this and other reasons,therefore, there is a need for the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hard disk enclosure blade. In oneembodiment, such a blade includes an enclosure that is insertable into arack. There are a number of slots, with each slot receptive to a traycapable of holding one or more hard disk drives. The blade includes alever by which the enclosure is pushed into the rack and pulled out ofthe rack. The lever has an open position in which the enclosure isremovable from the rack, and a closed position in which the enclosure isnot removable from the rack. The blade includes a flap having a firstflap position in which the flap is disposed across the slots and inwhich the lever is movable from its closed position to its openposition. The flap also has a second flap position in which the lever isnot movable from the closed position to the open position. Where theslots are all empty, the flap reverts to the first flap position, andinsertion of a tray into one of the slots forces the flap to the secondflap position.

In one embodiment, the blade further includes one or more pins. The pinshave a first pins position in which the lever is movable from the closedposition to the open position, and a second pins position in which thelever is prevented from moving from the closed position to the openposition. In the first flap position, the flap indirectly allows thelever to move from the closed position to the open position, in that theflap moves the pins from the second pins position to the first pinsposition. In the second flap position, the flap indirectly prevents thelever to move from the closed position to the open position, in that theflap moves the pins from the first pins position to the second pinsposition. In one embodiment, the pins are attached to the flip.

In one embodiment, then, in the first pins position, the pins do notblock the lever so that the lever is able to move from the closedposition to the open position. In the second pins position, the pinsblock the lever so that the lever is unable to move from the closedposition to the open position. In one embodiment, the blade furtherincludes a spring to default the flap to the first flap position and torevert the flap to the first flap position upon complete emptying of theslots. Insertion of a tray into one of the slots, where the slots arepreviously empty, pushes the flap so that it enters the second flapposition.

Embodiments of the invention provide for advantages over the prior art.The hard disk enclosure blade of the present invention is not removablefrom a rack unless it is completely empty of hard disk drive trays. Inone embodiment, the blade weighs only about eight kilograms, or abouteighteen pounds, when it is completely empty, as compared to more thantwenty kilograms, or more than forty-four pounds, when it is completelypopulated with full trays. Therefore, there is less chance of the bladebeing too heavy for a single administrator removing the empty blade fromthe rack. Furthermore, even the administrator drops the blade duringremoval of the blade from the rack, there is no potential for hard diskdrive damage, since the blade is only removable when it is completelyempty of hard disk drive trays, and thus completely empty of hard diskdrives.

Still other advantages, aspects, and embodiments of the invention willbecome apparent by reading the detailed description that follows, and byreferring to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings referenced herein form a part of the specification.Features shown in the drawing are meant as illustrative of only someembodiments of the invention, and not of all embodiments of theinvention, unless otherwise explicitly indicated, and implications tothe contrary are otherwise not to be made.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams of a hard disk enclosure blade with respectto a first flap position and a first pins position, according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams of a hard disk enclosure blade with respectto a second flap position and a second pins position, according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams of a hard disk enclosure blade in which alever thereof is unlocked (in detail), and capable of moving from aclosing position to an open position, according to an embodiment of theinvention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of a hard disk enclosure blade in which alever thereof is locked (in detail), and not capable of moving from aclosed position to an open position, according to an embodiment of theinvention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams of a hard disk enclosure blade in which ahard disk drive tray has been inserted into one of the slots of theblade, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams of a hard disk enclosure blade in whichthere are no hard disk drive trays, according to an embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of theinvention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form apart hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specificexemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. Theseembodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilledin the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be utilized,and logical, mechanical, and other changes may be made without departingfrom the spirit or scope of the present invention. The followingdetailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense,and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appendedclaims.

FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B show a hard disk enclosure blade 100, accordingto an embodiment of the invention. The hard disk enclosure blade 100includes an enclosure 102, as well as a number of slots 104A, 104B,104C, 104D, 104E, 104F, 104G, and 104H, collectively referred to as theslots 104. The hard disk enclosure blade 100 also includes a lever 106,a flap 108, and pins 110.

The enclosure 102 is adapted to be inserted into a rack of the type thatmay conventionally store computing peripherals. The enclosure 102defines the slots 104. Each of the slots 104 is receptive to a tray thatis capable of holding one or more hard disk drives. For instance, eachsuch tray may hold three hard disk drives, so that a total oftwenty-four hard disk drives can be stored by the hard disk enclosureblade 100.

The lever 106 is that by which the enclosure 102 is pushed into the rackand pulled out of the rack. The lever 106 has a closed position, whichis specifically depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in which the enclosure 102is locked within the rack in question, and is not removable from therack. The lever 106 is movable to an open position by pushing eachportion of the lever 106 outwards towards the ends of the enclosure 102,as indicated by the arrows 107. In the open position of the lever 106,the enclosure 102 is removable from the rack within which it has beeninserted.

The flap 108 has a first flap position, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B inparticular, in which the flap 108 is disposed across the slots 104. Inthe first flap position of the flap 108, the lever 106 is ultimatelymovable from its closed position to its open position. In the first flapposition, the flap 108 is at substantially a ninety-degree angle toopening within the enclosure 102. The flap 108 also has a second flapposition, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B in particular, in which it ispushed against and parallel to a side of the enclosure 102 at which thelever 106 is disposed.

When all the slots 104 are empty, and none contain a tray, the flap 108reverts to the first flap position. However, insertion of a tray intoany of the slots 104, where all of the slots 104 are initially empty,pushes or forces the flap 108 to the second flap position. Thus, when atray is inserted into any of the slots 104, the lever 106 is not movablefrom its closed position to its open position, and the enclosure 102 iseffectively locked in place. That is, when any of the slots 104 containsa tray, the enclosure 102 cannot be removed from the rack. Bycomparison, when all of the slots 104 are empty, the lever 106 ismovable from its closed position to its open position, and the enclosure102 can therefore be removed from the rack.

The pins 110 have a first pins position in which the lever 106 ismovable from its closed position to its open position, as well as asecond pins position in which the lever 106 is prevented from movingfrom the closed position to the open position. The second pins positionas particularly depicted in FIGS. 2A and 2B. The pins 110 are capable ofmoving—specifically rotating—within corresponding slots. In the secondpins position, the pins 110 block the lever 106 from moving in thedirection indicated by the arrows 107, and thus prevent the lever 106from moving from the closed position to the open position. Bycomparison, when the pins 110 are in the first pins position, such thatthey are rotated and are positioned substantially flush or lower thanthe enclosure 102 (i.e., they do not protrude or extend from theenclosure 102), the pins 110 no longer block the lever 106 from movingin the direction indicated by the arrows 107. As such, the lever 106 isnot prevented from moving from the closed position to the open position.

Stated another way, in the first pins position, the pins 110 do notblock the lever 106 so that the lever is able to move from its closedposition to its open position. By comparison, in the second pinsposition, the pins 110 block the lever 106 so that it is not able tomove from its closed position to its open position. In this way, thepins 110 assist in controlling when the enclosure 102 is able to beremoved from the rack.

It is noted that in the first flap position, the flap 108 indirectlyallows the lever 106 to move from the closed position to the openposition, in that the flap 108 moves the pins 110 from the second pinsposition to the first pins position. Furthermore, it is noted that inthe second flap position, the flap 108 indirectly prevents the lever 106to move from the closed position to the open position, in that the flap108 moves the pins 110 from the first pins position to the second pinsposition. The pins 110 are attached to the flap 108, such that movementof the former from the first flap position to the second flap position(and vice-versa) causes the pins 110 to move from the first pinsposition to the second pins position (and vice-versa).

FIGS. 3A and 3B show in detail the hard disk enclosure blade 100 inwhich the lever 106 is unlocked, such that it can move from its closedposition to its open position, according to an embodiment of theinvention. Thus, in FIGS. 3A and 3B the pins 110 are in the first pinsposition that has been described. Furthermore, the flap 108 is in thefirst flap position that has been described. In FIG. 3A specifically,one of the pins 110 is particularly depicted in the first pins position,which permits the lever 106 to be moved from the closed position asshown in FIGS. 3A and 3B to the open position that has been described.FIGS. 4A and 4B show in detail the hard disk enclosure blade 100 inwhich the lever 106 is locked, such that it cannot move from its closedposition to its open position, according to an embodiment of theinvention. Thus, in FIGS. 4A and 4B the pins 110 are in the second pinsposition that has been described. Furthermore, the flap 108 is in thesecond flap position that has been described. No hard disk drive traysare depicted in FIGS. 4A and 4B, but at least one such tray is presentin one of the slots, which is not shown for illustrative convenience.

In FIG. 4A specifically, one of the pins 110 is particularly depicted,in the second pins position, which prevents the lever 106 from beingmoved from the closed position as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B to the openposition that has been described. That is, in FIGS. 4A and 4B, theportions of the lever 106 cannot be moved outwards as indicated by thearrows 107 of FIG. 1A. This is because the pins 110 in the second pinsposition prevent such movement.

In FIG. 4B specifically, the attachment of one of the pins 110 to theflap 108 is particularly depicted, within the circled area 402. The flap108 is in the second flap position in which it is pushed to one side ofthe enclosure 102. The pins 110 are attached at a right angle to theflap 108, and in one embodiment, the flap 108 and the pins 110 can beconsidered as the same part having a flap portion and a pins portion.

Therefore, when the flap 108 is moved or rotated from the first flapposition to the second flap position due to the insertion of a hard diskdrive tray in one of the slots of the enclosure 102, the pins 110 arecorrespondingly moved from the first pins position to the second pinsposition. The former movement can be said to cause the latter movement.In the second pins position, the pins 110 extend or protrude from theircorresponding slots, as in FIG. 4A.

Likewise, when the flap 108 is moved or rotated from the second flapposition back to the first flap position due to the removal of all thehard disk drive trays from the slots of the enclosure 102, the pins 110are correspondingly moved from the second pins position to the firstpins position. The former movement can be said to cause the lattermovement. In the first pins position, the pins 110 no longer extend orprotrude from their corresponding slots, as in FIG. 4A, but rather areflush with or are positioned below the surface of the slots. As aresult, the lever 106 is no longer blocked by the pins 110 from movingin the direction of the arrows 107 of FIG. 1A.

As has been described, insertion of a hard disk drive tray in one of theslots of the enclosure 102 causes the flap 108 to move from the firstflap position to the second flap position, because the hard disk drivetray presses against the flap 108 and pushes it to one side. Bycomparison, removal of all the hard disk drive trays from the slots ofthe enclosure 102 causes the flap 108 to move from the second flapposition to the first flap position due to the springs 114. The springs114 are more generally a spring-hinging mechanism.

The springs 114 are sprung and disposed so that they force the flap 108to revert and default to the first flap position as shown in FIGS. 1Aand 1B. That is, it can be said that the flap 108 is spring-loaded sothat it reverts and defaults to the first flap position depicted inFIGS. 1A and 1B, when there are no trays forcing or causing the flap 108to enter the second flap position. Upon complete emptying of the slots104, such that no hard disk drive trays populated any of the slots 104,the springs 114 thus cause the flap 108 to move to the first flapposition. Complete details of the springs 114 are not shown in FIGS. 1Aand 1B; however, such spring-type hinging mechanisms are known to thoseof ordinary skill within the art.

It is noted that in one embodiment of the invention, the flap 108, thepins 110, and/or the springs 114 can be part of a mechanism or a meansto prevent the lever 106 from moving from its closed position to itsopen position when any of the slots 104 is occupied by a tray capable ofholding one or more hard disk drives. That is, these various parts worktogether to prevent the lever 106 from moving to its open position whenany of the slots 104 is occupied by or contains a tray, so that the harddisk enclosure blade 100 cannot be removed from a rack. Furthermore,these various parts work together to allow the lever 106 to move to itsopen position when all of the slots 104 are empty of trays, so that thehard disk enclosure blade 100 can be removed.

FIGS. 5A and 5B depict insertion of a hard disk drive tray 308 into thehard disk enclosure blade 100, according to an embodiment of theinvention. That is, one of the slots 104 is in the process of beingoccupied or containing a hard disk drive tray 308. In particular, thehard disk drive tray 308 is being inserted into one of the slots 104. Asa result, the flap 108 is pushed against a side of the enclosure 102.That is, the flap 108 is caused to move to the second flap position.Therefore, the lever 106 can no longer move from its closed position tothe open position.

By comparison, FIGS. 6A and 6B depict the hard disk enclosure blade 100in an open position in which it is removable from a chassis, accordingto an embodiment of the invention. No hard disk drive trays arecontained within the blade 100. The lever 106 has been moved to its openposition, in which the lever 106 is extended parallel to the blade 100,as opposed to perpendicular to the blade 100. A user can thus pull onthe lever 106 to remove it from a chassis.

It is noted that, although specific embodiments have been illustratedand described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skillin the art that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purposemay be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This applicationis thus intended to cover any adaptations or variations of embodimentsof the present invention. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that thisinvention be limited only by the claims and equivalents thereof.

1. A hard disk enclosure blade comprising: an enclosure insertable intoa rack; a plurality of slots, each slot receptive to a tray capable ofholding one or more hard disk drives; a lever by which the enclosure ispushed into the rack and pulled out of the rack, the lever having anopen position in which the enclosure is removable from the rack and aclosed position in which the enclosure is not removable from the rack;and, a flap having a first flap position in which the flap is disposedacross the slots and the lever is movable from the closed position tothe open position, and a second flap position in which the lever is notmovable from the closed position to the open position, wherein where theslots are all empty, the flap reverts to the first flap position, andwhere insertion of a tray into one of the slots forces the flap to thesecond flap position.
 2. The hard disk enclosure blade of claim 1,further comprising one or more pins, the pins having a first pinsposition in which the lever is movable from the closed position to theopen position, and a second pins position in which the lever isprevented from moving from the closed position to the open position,wherein, in the first flap position, the flap indirectly allows thelever to move from the closed position to the open position, in that, inthe first flap position, the flap moves the pins from the second pinsposition to the first pins position, and wherein, in the second flapposition, the flap indirectly prevents the lever to move from the closedposition to the open position, in that, in the second flap position, theflap moves the pins from the first pins position to the second pinsposition.
 3. The hard disk enclosure blade of claim 2, wherein the pinsare attached to the flap.
 4. The hard disk enclosure blade of claim 3,wherein, in the flap moving from the first flap position to the secondflap position, the pins are correspondingly moved from the first pinsposition to the second pins position due to their attachment to theflap, and in the flap moving from the second flap position to the firstflap position, the pins are correspondingly moved from the second pinsposition to the first pins position due to their attachment to the flap.5. The hard disk enclosure blade of claim 2, wherein, in the first pinsposition, the pins do not block the lever so that the lever is able tomove from the closed position to the open position, and in the secondpins position, the pins block the lever so that the lever is unable tomove from the closed position to the open position.
 6. The hard diskenclosure blade of claim 1, further comprising a spring to default theflap to the first flap position and to revert the flap to the first flapposition upon complete emptying of the slots.
 7. The hard disk enclosureblade of claim 1, wherein insertion of a tray into one of the slots,where the slots are previously empty, pushes the flap so that the flapenters the second flap position.
 8. A hard disk enclosure bladecomprising: an enclosure insertable into a rack; a plurality of slots,each slot receptive to a tray capable of holding one or more hard diskdrives; a lever by which the enclosure is pushed into the rack andpulled out of the rack, the lever having an open position in which theenclosure is removable from the rack and a closed position in which theenclosure is not removable from the rack; and, means for preventing thelever from moving from the closed position to the open position when anyof the slots is occupied by a tray capable of holding one or more harddisk drives.
 9. The hard disk enclosure blade of claim 8, wherein themeans comprises a flap, the flap having a first flap position in whichthe flap is disposed across the slots and the lever is movable from theclosed position to the open position, and a second flap position inwhich the lever is not movable from the closed position to the openposition.
 10. The hard disk enclosure blade of claim 9, wherein, wherethe slots are all empty, the flap reverts to the first flap position,and where insertion of a tray into one of the slots forces the flap tothe second flap position.
 11. The hard disk enclosure blade of claim 8,wherein the means comprises one or more pins, the pins having a firstpins position in which the lever is movable from the closed position tothe open position, and a second pins position in which the lever isprevented from moving from the closed position to the open position. 12.The hard disk enclosure blade of claim 11, wherein the means furthercomprises a flap, the flap having a first flap position and a secondflap position, in the first flap position the flap moves the pins fromthe second pins position to the first pins position, and in the secondflap position the flap moves the pins from the first pins position tothe second pins position.
 13. The hard disk enclosure blade of claim 12,wherein the pins are attached to the flap.
 14. A hard disk enclosureblade comprising: an enclosure insertable into a rack; a plurality ofslots, each slot receptive to a tray capable of holding one or more harddisk drives; a lever by which the enclosure is pushed into the rack andpulled out of the rack, the lever having an open position in which theenclosure is removable from the rack and a closed position in which theenclosure is not removable from the rack; and, a mechanism to preventthe lever from moving from the closed position to the open position whenany of the slots is occupied by a tray capable of holding one or morehard disk drives.
 15. The hard disk enclosure blade of claim 14, whereinthe mechanism comprises a flap, the flap having a first flap position inwhich the flap is disposed across the slots and the lever is movablefrom the closed position to the open position, and a second flapposition in which the lever is not movable from the closed position tothe open position.
 16. The hard disk enclosure blade of claim 15,wherein, where the slots are all empty, the flap reverts to the firstflap position, and where insertion of a tray into one of the slotsforces the flap to the second flap position.
 17. The hard disk enclosureblade of claim 15, wherein insertion of a tray into one of the slots,where the slots are previously empty, pushes the flap so that the flapenters the second flap position.
 18. The hard disk enclosure blade ofclaim 14, wherein the mechanism comprises one or more pins, the pinshaving a first pins position in which the lever is movable from theclosed position to the open position, and a second pins position inwhich the lever is prevented from moving from the closed position to theopen position.
 19. The hard disk enclosure blade of claim 18, whereinthe mechanism further comprises a flap, the flap having a first flapposition and a second flap position, in the first flap position the flapmoves the pins from the second pins position to the first pins position,and in the second flap position the flap moves the pins from the firstpins position to the second pins position.
 20. The hard disk enclosureblade of claim 19, wherein the pins are attached to the flap.